Online sales have changed everything. With cameras I was happy to buy online but with a Sup I don't think I could ever buy one without touching, holding and demoing it. Cheap price is always an attraction and I'm sure many have done it , what is your experience with that ?
I think we are all guilty of going into a shop and checking out a product , then finding it cheaper online and ordering from them. Problem is you have when it fails you have to ship it back and wait weeks . Even with the cameras I now buy local and pay the premium so when it has to go back you just hand it back to the store and most replace it straight away.
Same goes for Sups , you get a dud just take it back to the shop but that has to come at a premium. Plus when you buy from your local you know you will get a good trade for an upgrade or downsize in the board. I like nothing more than walking into my local shop and just drifting through the boards in the racks having a bit of a chin wag and maybe leaving with a demo. This will all end if we don't support that shop.
As tempting as it might be to buy something cheaper and similar online , support your local shop and pay that bit extra , the service and the stoke is worth way more than the cheap price especially when it goes all wrong. 
I'm with you Piros, I will always go to a shop and have a chat and talk Sup, paddle differences and look at wetsuits, booties etc. Only time I bought online after looking in multiple shops was because they simply had no stock for weeks and I wanted booties and a PLB and I had spent weeks looking at all the shops in Melbourne.
I need to see what I am paying $2k for, test it look at quality etc etc, pictures always look good but reality is the best judge!
Dave said: - I need to see what I am paying $2k for, test it look at quality etc, pictures always look good but the reality is the best judge!
Wise words Dave I would never buy a Sup I have never tried or at least held in my hands
Just picked up two SUPS from dogman on sun evening - he lent me these for a demo at my home break - brilliant! Been for two surfs of twohours each - swapping boards. Tomorrow more waves with a fin change maybe? Rog will pick up on Wed morn as he goes up to DEEP. Thanks Roger and Simon - looking good
Steve
begin rant/
The whole online thing has really affected what I work in as a rep - the Bicycle trade - to such an extent that i've had over 30 shops on my run in Vic close in the last 24 months.
Unfortunately when you can buy (for eg.) Shimano product from an online retailer in the UK , shipped, for less than the store in Oz pays for it wholesale - in the end what hope does the local bike shop have...and this is before Amazon comes in...
We also have a real greed problem here in Oz, everybody wants to earn $80+ an hour, but pay 20c in the dollar for things - you can't have it both ways and expect things to work out, especially for our future. This country is on the fast track to being a complete **** hole.
I'll tell a few quick stories from my experience working in retail...
I used to work in a bike shop that sold Pinarello's. We had a bike on special for $8k down from $10k as we needed to move it on. In comes a cashed up tradie, offers me $5k for the bike...I say no... he says "my daughter works in fashion retail, I know you guys are making over 100% margin on this bike" etc... I said to him he's dreaming and I even pulled out the wholesalers invoice for this bike to show him. Firstly he didn't believe me, until I showed him the bikes serial # on the invoice matching the frame... The bike cost us $7300+ gst, freight and building it. So in effect we were losing money on it- forgetting the fact we offered a free proper bike fit and 12 months free servicing. He said to me, " how do you blokes make any money?" I said " not with pricks like you walking in (with a wink) ". I then asked him what he did - he's a plumber... I then asked what's his callout fee ( without blinking he said $240 plus $150 and hour...). I said do you discount that? He said deadpan 'no'
Then this same guy then says he's picking up his bike that we serviced. Standard service is $80 + parts. We then explained to him that as his bike was extremely filthy we had to spend 45mins cleaning it before we could service it and it added $40 to the cost of the service. He went mental saying there's no way cleaning a bike should cost $40. I said "so is your time worth more than ours?..."
Another guy came in, wanted a pair of Sidi shoes, The ones he wanted didn't fit his foot shape so I spent an hour selling him the right ones, Then when I ask would he like me to put them through, he asks if I can put the details on a card. I roll my eyes to myself, and do it. Then the following morning I get an email from him saying my service was the best he has ever experienced, and if we match the price online from the UK he'll buy them from me. We were already offering them for $100 off RRP, which was within $20 of the online price (on a $450 shoe). At the bottom of his email his job description was very high up the food chain at BHP Billiton, at least on $300k P.A., and he was complaining over $20! give me a break.
Another customer came into the store, and wanted a bottle cage, but said it's this price online and can we match it. I replied with, 'do you have kids?', he replies 'what does that have to do with anything', I reply 'everything'. ok, how old are they... 12 and 14... do they ride bikes?... yes and my older son wants to be a bike mechanic...I say if you keep buying all of your stuff online the only job he'll be getting is working at Macca's along with the other 500 kids at his school applying for the 5 jobs offered... He replies, 'i've never really thought about it that way" Bought the cage and off he went.
Lastly, Another guy came in wanting something, I can't remember... but he wanted a discount - I said when you take your mrs out for dinner, on a nice date, do you ask the restaurant for a discount or when you go shopping at coles? he says, oh but that's different, I say 'how is it any different?"
I just cannot believe just how ignorant the majority of shoppers/people are to what is going on around them.
I could go on about this forever.
end rant/
This will become an interesting thread.....
I am also concerned, not only with online shopping, but also not supporting your local. Many stores put endless hours into supporting and helping the sports grow in their area, and they do not make money from this, shops make their worth by selling gear to you/us. There is only so long you work for free before you go "Screw This"! Would you rock up to work every day to have the boss give your pay check to someone else.
With so may stores already closing over the past 2 years (and there will be more), it is a scary thought to think your local may not be there next summer. All the time they spend helping, tuning and in many cases saving our beloved sports.
These are not multi national corporations, your discount comes out of their back pocket, their pay check..
Something to think about when purchasing your next items - What has the person you are going to buy from done for you or the sport in your area and are they worth supporting.
Support your local. My2c
JB
the classic one I get when doing board repairs is 'I would repair it myself but I just don't have the time' so I quote them a very reasonable price considering the time materials and the costs of running a work shop and still probably a lot less than what they get paid per hour to which they look at me with wide eyes and normally say cant i do it cheaper! pisses the hell out of me off. I'm the only person within 50miles doing proper board repairs and very much looking forward to the day when I send these people on a 50 mile trip to some one else to get there boards fixed. Most people just don't seam to have a clue in what is involved with building selling repairing or anything like that and think for some reason everything should be rock bottom prices.
I think one of the questions we have to ask is, how come the international on-line stores are able to sell the same product for so much less? I am sure we have all seen the Australian tax at work - the same product selling for so much less overseas. From iTunes prices, to camping gear, to watersports products - everything is less expensive in the US - not just on-line, retail as well (I travel a lot). Once I would have argued that the shipping costs and import duties added to our prices, but if that were the case iTunes would have the same price and we would not be able to ship the single item here for less than we could buy it here from the company that bulk shipped the items.
I wonder if the SUP/surf industry does that? Is a Naish board, for example, the same price here as it is in the US? I don't know, I am just asking.
The second question we have to ask is, do the manufacturers of the products value the local store? If they did, they would not sell their products to the online retailers at a lower price (or even an equal price) to the local store. We all appreciate that the local store has higher costs than the on-line retailer. Their only sales advantage is that they may carry stock so they can fill the immediate need instead of waiting for the on-line order to arrive. So if Naish, Sunova, Fanatic, etc. valued the services of the local shop they would sell to them at a lower price so they could be successful.
Personally, I have a favorite local shop and I will always turn to them first. I want them to stay in business and I would feel guilty shopping there and buying elsewhere.
One last comment. The world is changing and everyone has to find their place in it. With on-line retail and other services, mega retailers (think Bunnings), robotics, and predictive analytics (computers being better decision makers than humans), so many people have to rethink their future. The plumber can get away with those prices because they have minimal competition and often the customer has a sense of urgency. I guess the local store owners have to do the same thing. What can they deliver that the customer can't get elsewhere?
Purely due to budget have bought online and from my personal experience it was fine, love the board and couldn't be happier. Had it for 2 years now.
No SUP shops close enough for me to duck down and have a quick chat. Been to one before and it was pretty cool seeing all the gear.
They had some beautiful boards and if I had 2k to drop on one I would! Have had custom local made surfboards before so I love supporting local shops just can't afford that much for a new SUP so went online to jag a carbon board fur under 1k delivered.
Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..
I think one of the questions we have to ask is, how come the international on-line stores are able to sell the same product for so much less? I am sure we have all seen the Australian tax at work - the same product selling for so much less overseas. From iTunes prices, to camping gear, to watersports products - everything is less expensive in the US - not just on-line, retail as well (I travel a lot). Once I would have argued that the shipping costs and import duties added to our prices, but if that were the case iTunes would have the same price and we would not be able to ship the single item here for less than we could buy it here from the company that bulk shipped the items.
I wonder if the SUP/surf industry does that? Is a Naish board, for example, the same price here as it is in the US? I don't know, I am just asking.
The second question we have to ask is, do the manufacturers of the products value the local store? If they did, they would not sell their products to the online retailers at a lower price (or even an equal price) to the local store. We all appreciate that the local store has higher costs than the on-line retailer. Their only sales advantage is that they may carry stock so they can fill the immediate need instead of waiting for the on-line order to arrive. So if Naish, Sunova, Fanatic, etc. valued the services of the local shop they would sell to them at a lower price so they could be successful.
Personally, I have a favorite local shop and I will always turn to them first. I want them to stay in business and I would feel guilty shopping there and buying elsewhere.
One last comment. The world is changing and everyone has to find their place in it. With on-line retail and other services, mega retailers (think Bunnings), robotics, and predictive analytics (computers being better decision makers than humans), so many people have to rethink their future. The plumber can get away with those prices because they have minimal competition and often the customer has a sense of urgency. I guess the local store owners have to do the same thing. What can they deliver that the customer can't get elsewhere?
Freight:
In the bike industry's case, the UK government currently subsidise all freight sent overseas from businesses such as Wiggle. Wiggle pay for the freight from them to the airport, the UK government from the airport to Aus.
Tax:
The UK Vat is much higher than our GST (20%) but as the current Australian laws are no GST added unless over $1000aud on imports, it's an easy loophole to get around. This is meant to change next FY however. Which will help Aus retailers a lot.
Costs:
The costs of doing business is so much higher in Oz than the USA. Rents, Wages, Taxes etc etc then also allowing currency fluctuation on costs. Also in places like like the USA most retail is without the middleman involved, wheras in Oz, self retail is only just beginning in sports/boys toys.
I see quite a bit of protection in the sup industry for retailers, eg. What Sunova offer. Even if you deal with Bert/Tino directly they offer a margin to the closest Sunova dealer to you. There also isn't many shops to cross shop the same brands . Eg. For bicycle - 27 Giant dealers in Melbourne alone. So consumers can shop at 10 Giant dealers in one afternoon to screw the shops over on price.
Wholesalers need margin to stay alive so reducing their margins may mean they close. Unless volume increases substantially from the reduction in margin.
I see the future being more enterprise based, eg. Why can't good shops here design their own range of boards, instead of simply importing what other shops do overseas? That way they control stock supply, pricing, reduce middle man costs etc etc.
A freind took their business overseas recently as its was cheaper to post from hong hong to brisbane then from mooloolaba to brisbane. Its the cost of our society of wanting to make more money from our capitalist life styles.
Tax:
Hoppo: The UK Vat is much higher than our GST (20%) but as the current Australian laws are no GST added unless over $1000aud on imports, it's an easy loophole to get around. This is meant to change next FY however. Which will help Aus retailers a lot.
CSE: When I said "tax" I did not mean Government tax I was referring to the premium we pay because we are in Australia. Yes, we have higher costs, and exchange rates causes businesses to build in a margin for protection, but in many areas we pay more because businesses know we will pay more. I used iTunes as an example - the cost to deliver music to my iPhone is the same as it is to deliver it to The Donald's iPhone - but they charge me more because they can.
Costs:
Hoppo: I see quite a bit of protection in the sup industry for retailers, eg. What Sunova offer. Even if you deal with Bert/Tino directly they offer a margin to the closest Sunova dealer to you.
CSE: To me that is a good thing. That is Sunova protecting the local shop.
Hoppo: I see the future being more enterprise based, eg. Why can't good shops here design their own range of boards, instead of simply importing what other shops do overseas? That way they control stock supply, pricing, reduce middle man costs etc etc.
CSE: I guess there is an economy of scale. It would be a huge undertaking to develop and market a board - it would have to be a substantial business to take on such an enterprise. "Brand" is so important; do I want a Sunova board or an "SHQ" board?
We all, on this forum, contribute to the demise of the local SUP shop. When people like me give an opinion on a given board it negates the need to go to a shop where the sales person probably knows less about a given board (they have to know about so many products, I only have to know about the board I use). It is great for Piros to start this thread, and I absolutely agree we should buy through the local shop, but it will take support from the manufacturers (and Government) to ensure their longevity.
I agree to a certain point. But what if the retailers don't support the businesses?
Yes the shops have all the big international brands, but what about Australian brands that can't get their foot in the door. I know of a few that sell online but would much prefer to have the support of SUP stores. So I reckon it works both ways.
I'm not suggesting that shops take on every Tom, Dick & Harry that thinks they can start a SUP brand and cash in, but solid Aussie brands that are not represented.
I'm sure it is hard for both retailers and the Brands, each have their own set of issues they have to deal with, all I'm suggesting is it may not always be just to sell cheaper online
This is a great thread and goes for all of our beloved sports. There will always be the online component in any industry and in all honesty, we cant really properly determine whether its as good or as bad as we think, It may be that this is a necessary evil to some extent.
Of course in a perfect world everyone would do all of there business at the local outlet however, the online component can also assist the small shops in educating people to the items. Its true that at times things may be cheaper online but as stated in previous comments, You get little to no support.
Local shops often don't have the the budget to advertise as much as we would like and therefore at times can be shadowed. These online ad's and stores give people the chance to review and learn whilst in a comfortable environment. Once its time to purchase, they make a decision. At the end of the day, it is in the hands of the consumer.
If the consumer is happy to buy from a faceless electronic entity for the sake of saving a couple of dollars (at first) Then that is there prerogative and the chances are if they were to walk into a store they are possibly the sort of people that will waste as much of the stores time as possible chasing something that simply doesn't exist or something they want but will NEVER accept its actual value the whole time detracting attention from customers that are genuinely seeking assistance.
Your "local" should be more than just a store.... It should be a community in its self where you feel comfortable, supported and appreciated. Whether your a shop owner, an employee or a customer. We are all in this together and just want whats best for our sports. Massive shout out to Piros for starting this thread, I'm sure there are a lot of people watching this and its great to see the support local business's are getting already.
Zoolander that will never happen as there is just no margins for local shapers to sell through stores , want to support your local shaper go to him a buy a board he also fits into the above. If the local stores don't stock big brand boards how are you ever going to try or buy one , import it yourself ?
I think the days of distributors bringing boards in and then shipping around the country to retailers is slowly fading out because no one makes any real money and the poor punter ends paying for it. IMHO The only way shops can keep prices down is if they can order direct from the factory and this will help beat off online sales , plus be multi brand .This is a massive commitment by the shop selecting and paying for all the stock months in advance
So if you want to see the 2018 models in late 2017 you have to back the guys bringing it in. They can't do this without turn over and I'm not just talking boards , it's leggies , wetties ect ect. In the end we are the winners with fully stocked shops of all the best toys , walk in and walk out with a board. Not having to order on line and pray it doesn't get damaged in transit.
I don't have shops in my area ..
but just went on holiday ,hit the shops. ..spent 2500 ...made a friend ..exchanged emails ...
And loved the 2 hour chat and vibe .
Shops rock .even got a few free stickers ..you don't get that online .
Great thread Piros
This winter on the forum revealed Victorian Breezers buying boards from Qld. retailers.
This is a bizarre situation as the Qld. business is selling the same product at the same price as several Victorian shops.
A boards freight history during their transit phase from the Australian shipping port to market place then to customer can be ridiculous to say the least.
Select to expand quoteTardy said..
I don't have shops in my area ..
but just went on holiday ,hit the shops. ..spent 2500 ...made a friend ..exchanged emails ...
And loved the 2 hour chat and vibe .
Shops rock .even got a few free stickers ..you don't get that online .
come on Tardy, you bought a friend
I agree with Piros, the days are numbered for wholesale and retail as a business model. Margins are getting squeezed everywhere and the low hanging fruit is always the one to fall first.
All you need to do is walk around your local Shopping Centre (eg Chaddy) and see how many independent retailers still exist.
CSE - I agree with most of what you are saying. Deep and The Surfboard Warehouse are 2 Aussie companies that have done exactly what i'm saying.
One of my ideas is for a few retailers around the country to get together and create a 'buying group' scenario, then all invest in starting a brand together, that way - yes they are investing some proper $$ - with a bigger potential for margin going forward.
I know personality, trust etc will produce issues, but the smart retailers will need to band together for the 'bigger picture' otherwise they will all ultimately fail.
A very similar industry where what I am saying has worked is the outdoor industry with buying groups such as Intertrek.
Select to expand quotemicksmith said..Tardy said..
I don't have shops in my area ..
but just went on holiday ,hit the shops. ..spent 2500 ...made a friend ..exchanged emails ...
And loved the 2 hour chat and vibe .
Shops rock .even got a few free stickers ..you don't get that online .
come on Tardy, you bought a friend
True...but I loved that day ...on my holiday ....
i just like to meet the people that sell the gear ...more of a personal touch ...
And also set up future ,purchases ...if I get ripped off ...hey ...I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE ...
There is a place for both.
So long as they service the customer with honesty and integrity either can work. When I want a low cost but high quality SUP I have gone to TSBW and I can't fault them.
When I want a $2k plus performance SUP (aka) I am only willing to go to my local SUP place.....Cronulla SUP. Those guys are legends and have always been willing to answer questions pre and post purchase .
Another thing ....the customer often gets the service they deserve . Many customers are ****e arrogant people who want everything for nothing .
So be a good customer with integrity .Even the customer should be aiming for a win win win solution . Win for them, win for supplier and win for the producer
There is also a part of the equation nobody has mentioned yet.
If you support your local shop for a period of time then you will reap the benefits of the relationship. If your buying a new board (be it Sup, foil or windsurf) then there are many accessories that go along with this purchase. You are probably not purchasing them all at once so you go back in and talk shop, **** and have a beer etc. The shop staff recognise you are being loyal and reward you with discounted sales and little things like a shop T-shirt or stickers.
It makes you feel good and you enjoy the relationship as you feel like part of the furniture etc.
You don't have to be the best paddler, ripper or sailor but because the retailer knows you are displaying a sticker on your vehicle or wearing a shop T-shirt you are rewarded. You direct potential customers (people on the beach, lake etc) to your local shop, its appreciated. Its a two way street. And that's why if you support your local shop it will stay in business and life is good.
Yes, I realise the online experience will probably be cheaper but you don't get customer service, interaction and a good feeling.
Great point Ka43 and totally agree , service and friendship from the shop crew is what's it's all about. As the sponsor dollars are now so tight and unsustainable for full pro riders now , even the brand ambassador deals are fading away . The shops now look for keen frothers to promote their shop with the odd free T-shirt and a little bit extra discount for you to sticker up your board and car , which I think is cool you feel like part of the family.
Social media now has way more punch than any other form of print media and sponsoring big names. The shops that will survive have a great social media presence and you need punters to support and promote that. You support them they will look after you it's a win win all way round.
Hi Piros,
Good point & thread but at the end of the day it comes down to oversupply & the costs of running a business in Australia....
I've been on both sides of the coin having owned surf shops on Sydney's Northern Beaches for nearly 20 years & now being in wholesale for the past 10....
I got out of retail because rents were to high, so were wages & insurances & then margins were to low.... Unless you can buy your freehold it's not worth being in retail....
Then on the other side of the coin I was the National Sales & Marketing Manager for a sup company & now import one of the "major" brands & have the problem of retailers having too many brands & too much stock & then not paying their bills....
I'd like to be in more shops but can't afford to "carry" them & make small margins & keep the price down so I balance it with 50% retail stores & 50% direct to customers (if I don't have a store in the area....If I do I give the shop the sale)
Qld is a classic example...I sell plenty of boards at full price to guys in Qld but because of over-supply & so much cheap "imitation" product flooding the market up there I don't have any retailers stocking my boards & I'm getting asked all the time where guys can demo Jimmy Lewis boards but for the few sales I lose it's worth not having the grief....
Yet in NSW I have shops doing big numbers but I have to stay on top of payments...
I need the cash flow to keep coming in as I pay "in advance & own all my stock" plus it costs me $10,000 in freight, duties & GST every time I land a container....
I agree you can't beat great service & the experience of getting all kitted up with new gear in your local store but there is also plenty of **** service out there with arrogant know-it-alls...
The other thing is you will always get people who buy on PRICE & people who will buy on QUALITY & happy to pay for service & knowledge....
The shops who do well have a loyal customer base, sound knowledge, a good range of brands (if they have the space) & a strong social media presence backed up with demo days & local events....It's hard fricken work & sometimes not very rewarding especially when guys demo boards from their local shop & then buy online somewhere else but that's the way retail is these days...
To be honest Australian retail had a lot of extra years of not being affected by online sales & were quite slow to pick up on int compared to the U.S....
Anyway this will be a long debate... :)
If ya local doesnt stock what you want Or if you don't have a local shop ya aint got much choice - for me - be fckd if i'll buy something I don't want from someone i don't wanna do business with at an over inflated price just because they're local - online buying gives us some power as a consumer- and ive bought boards SUPS custom shorties sails fins and everything else from all over Aus and overseas - everyone has got a bit of my money - haven't got a dud yet and some great online service from east coast west coast and SA retailers
Select to expand quotePiros said..
Zoolander that will never happen as there is just no margins for local shapers to sell through stores , want to support your local shaper go to him a buy a board he also fits into the above. If the local stores don't stock big brand boards how are you ever going to try or buy one , import it yourself ?
I think the days of distributors bringing boards in and then shipping around the country to retailers is slowly fading out because no one makes any real money and the poor punter ends paying for it. IMHO The only way shops can keep prices down is if they can order direct from the factory and this will help beat off online sales , plus be multi brand .This is a massive commitment by the shop selecting and paying for all the stock months in advance
So if you want to see the 2018 models in late 2017 you have to back the guys bringing it in. They can't do this without turn over and I'm not just talking boards , it's leggies , wetties ect ect. In the end we are the winners with fully stocked shops of all the best toys , walk in and walk out with a board. Not having to order on line and pray it doesn't get damaged in transit.
Piros said..
Zoolander that will never happen as there is just no margins for local shapers to sell through stores , want to support your local shaper go to him a buy a board he also fits into the above. If the local stores don't stock big brand boards how are you ever going to try or buy one , import it yourself ?
ZL: No you miss understand, I am not against shops, or them stocking big brands, I am saying they need to give Australian companies a go, and I'm not talking customs here, I'm talking production boards made overseas
Piros: I think the days of distributors bringing boards in and then shipping around the country to retailers is slowly fading out because no one makes any real money and the poor punter ends paying for it. IMHO The only way shops can keep prices down is if they can order direct from the factory and this will help beat off online sales , plus be multi brand
ZL: This is my point again, shops are now going direct (which I know they have to) so what happens to the smaller brands, there is not enough margin for everyone, so some brands have to sell direct. I don't think its fair to lump everyone into 1 basket - but I do agree that we need to support Australian stores and brands
Piros: So if you want to see the 2018 models in late 2017 you have to back the guys bringing it in. They can't do this without turn over and I'm not just talking boards , it's leggies , wetties ect ect.
ZL: Does this also include fins Piros? 
Select to expand quoteJimmy Lewis Boards said..
The shops who do well have a loyal customer base, sound knowledge, a good range of brands (if they have the space) & a strong social media presence backed up with demo days & local events....
This is what I see more and more and I guess is the way forward: have a local shop be the backbone of its web online frontend. It seems pure online brands are now also opening physical shops and showrooms, and local shops boosting their internet presence, with attractive websites and sleek operation (fast shipping, reactive support).
For instance, a shop can have a stock used boards from its physical store, that they can ship easily via its internet side. This way the second hand market becomes much more efficient, people can resell their boards more easily to get new ones, and you get a stock of attractively priced boards, without having to lose money with heavy discounts on new gear.
This way the shop can get a synergy from both form of service... if done well, otherwise I get they just add the bad points of both :-)
As aussie Jimmy and Colas pointed out, and maybe others, the local shops often shoot themselves in the foot. I have called to ask questions and often get a guy who doesn't know and doesn't care - and I don't get a call back with my outstanding questions. I have now found a couple of stores that give good service and I don't bother trying the others now.
(I could start a rant about the difference in service levels between aussie retail and US retail, where I lived for six years and visit four times a year, but I won't.)
And then you go on-line to their stores to learn what they carry, what they have in stock, etc., and it is often a jumble of inaccurate nonsense.
I couldn't agree more with regards to service. Speaking personally (this should in no way be attributed to a club I am part of) sadly a few stores here in VIC certainly lack it. I look at the whole sales process. The product, the people, what's fact, fiction, propaganda & delivery are all relevant and important to me.
I've been let down by people not telling the truth about delivery times (several times), I've met brand representatives that never let the truth get in the way of a good story and also been subject to the high pressure sell. As a result there are some brands and/or retailers that I'd never consider again on principle. Some may get a second chance and there's always the opportunity to consider someone new. If that means going interstate, then so be it.
On the flip side, I've had fantastic service when we designed my custom flatwater board, had it made and delivered. Simple, open communication with the manufacturer and by far the best overall experience I've had.
On the service front, I've had defective boards and had various responses from different retailers. Some great, some bad.
Lets not get started with someone trying to sell you a board that's not appropriate for you.
If some retailers choose to provide great service, no bull**** and offer good/great quality gear at great value (this doesn't necessarily mean cheap) then I'll be happy to buy from them.
As for those that don't make the cut, don't blame the customer. Look in the mirror and ask yourself (or the customer) why someone has never come back...
So I do my research,head to my local shop. I'm lucky I can try the boards they have. The sales team talk me up on a few boards and naturally I start loving one in particular. I go home dream about owning it.
i go back,try it again, this time I just have to have it!
i drop back the demo they have been up selling me to ........ the kicker ...... not available...... wtf.... are you stocking again ... what ... no .... I can't I love it... so I bought online. I would have bought local. I had the credit card at the ready but sales staff often are their own worst enemy !
